Grilled chicken jalapeno popper grilled cheese with bacon onion jam

Cook finely chopped bacon until about three-quarters done, when it is very foamy; pour off most of the grease.

Add finely diced red onion, mix, and cook three or four minutes to soften.

Add diced tomato, mix, cook about a minute.

Make a space, add a little garlic, let it get fragrant, mix in.

Add a little cayenne and some apricot jam, let it melt and stir in; add some apple cider vinegar and mix.

Bring to a low simmer and leave 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every so often.

Rub the halved, cored jalapenos with a little oil; oil the chicken thighs and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Grill the jalapenos in a mesh pan, starting skin side down, until charred and blackened; grill the chicken, turning a few times, to about 175.

Flatten the thighs a bit on the grill so they cook more evenly; flip the jalapenos. Take everything off and let it cool.

Dice the chicken across the grain. Chop the jalapenos fairly fine, keeping the charred skin.

In a bowl, mix softened cream cheese, sharp cheddar, smoked Gouda and the chopped chicken and jalapenos.

Butter the inside of two slices of bread; on one put pepper jack cheese, on the other bacon jam. Build the filling evenly on top, then another piece of cheese, then close.

Bacon jam keeps in the fridge; take it out half an hour to 45 minutes before using so it is at room temperature.

Spread mayo on the outside, place on the flat top, spread a little mayo on the top side, and flip.

Cover with a lid to help melt everything, then take off.